Comments on: What Grows Under the Willow Shade?

By: kathburdy

kathburdy — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:47:24 +0000

under my willow tree i have lots of memorys 3yrs ago my english bull honesty died old age .i placed her coller favourate toys ect., i put ferns primula.s there and they havent surfifed. ihave taken dead leaves ect., and put som compost in, so i will try again hardley any sun gets thro my willow tea time if any found your tips intresting thank you.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:47:04 +0000

Rebecca, I’ve been extending some of my bulb plantings, and adding some new groups. Good luck with the naturalizing. I’d love to see photos of them in the spring.

By: Rebecca @ In The Garden

Rebecca @ In The Garden — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:52:27 +0000

I bought some crocuses, galanthus and muscari with natuaralizing in mind. I might place some in beds and try a few in the lawn to see what happens. I’m a little hesitant with regards to the muscari since foliage appears again in fall and may pose a mowing problem. I also saw some fall crocuses in bloom and find them very tempting, they are like a little preview of spring. :)

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:06:05 +0000

Rebecca, I’ve been tempted to try naturalizing some of the early small bulbs, Chionodoxa, Scilla or Puschkinia in the lawn, since their leaves die back quickly, so I wouldn’t have to delay mowing for too long. So far the squirrels seem more interested in the spruce cones than my garden.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:58:48 +0000

We must have the same squirrels, since mine haven’t been at all interested in my snow crocuses (purple & white), I’ve had them for 3-4 years. I’m thinking of adding some tulips this year, I haven’t grown them for quite some time. I am considering planting directly into the lawn in an attempt to naturalize, I suspect this might work better with species tulips and the cultivated ones should stay in the beds. I think the new bulb mix ‘Blue Bayou’ (blues and whites) is stunning, and I’m trying to find a spot for it. :)

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:16:02 +0000

Deborah, the all silver Brunnera is ‘Looking Glass’, and it has blue flowers in spring. The Brunnera with the silver leaves and green veins are ‘Jack Frost’ and ‘Mr. Morse’, with blue flowers and white flowers respectively.

I’ve been fortunate, and I haven’t had too many problems with squirrels. I have a small patch of crocus now, but I’m adding a number of the large vernus, and the snow crocus, in yellow and purple. I should write a post on it. I’ll see if they manage to survive until next spring. I haven’t had squirrel problems with my Puschkinia, Scilla, Chionodoxa, Galanthus or Muscari bulbs, so perhaps I have more laid back squirrels.

By: Deborah at Kilbourne Grove

Deborah at Kilbourne Grove — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:43:12 +0000

Hi, You are right, the silver really lightens up the dark area under the trees. What Brunnera is that? I will try some under my maples.
What bulbs are you trying, squirrels are terrible with crocus so I don’t plant them.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:31:26 +0000

Rebecca, these plants grow well in the site under the tree. I really like this willow, since it doesn’t give in to fall, and holds onto its leaves until long after all the others have dropped theirs. It is also one of the first to leaf out in spring.

Sylvana, the Pulmonaria with all silver leaves is ‘Majeste’. I have another similar one with longer and more slender silver leaves called ‘Samourai’. They handle quite a bit of shade, and the leaves are very long lasting.

By: Sylvana

Sylvana — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:45:34 +0000

What kind of pulmonaria is that. It is lovely.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:27:33 +0000

What a beautiful and soothing combination of plants you have assembled, they all look so lush and healthy! :)